Students at work – the Foundling Museum

Conservation students at West Dean College work on
live projects and get to spend time working at prestigious heritage
organisations from time to time, as part of their professional
training.

Recently students on the Clocks Conservation programme were
given the opportunity to work at the Foundling Museum, London. The
Museum explores the history of the Foundling Hospital, established
in 1739 by the philanthropist Captain Thomas Coram, as 'a hospital
for the maintenance and education of exposed and deserted young
children'.

Students spent time assessing clocks from the clock collection
in the Public Galleries. Organised into two teams they dismantled
and studied each movement to prepare reports on their condition and
suggest options for treatment. Tutor Matthew Read supervised the
day and visitors to the Museum were encouraged to talk to the
students as they carried out the conservation work. All good
practice for their future careers!

Clocks Conservation student Tabea Rude says, "The trip was
incredibly valuable as we were treated like professionals. It was
expected that we manage the whole process of surveying,
documentation and partial disassembly in teams of three. While the
day demanded all of my concentration and skill it also taught me a
lot about how to communicate with museum staff, with my fellow
students and with visitors."

Clock Conservation Students at West Dean College

The emphasis for students at West Dean College is time in the
studio and at the bench. Students gain hands-on experience working
on unique and often rare objects from acclaimed collections.
Combined with theoretical and scientific study and collaboration
across the disciplines, graduates are sought-after and many go on
to work in some of the world's finest institutions, such as the
Victoria and Albert Museum, National Maritime
Museum, the British Museum and Imperial War Museum.